Blog Post

How to Fix a Broken Tooth

Dr Alex Silman • Apr 25, 2020
How to Fix a Broken Tooth
A tooth can break, chip or crack for a number of reasons. A cavity can weaken the tooth and make it crumble. A fall can break a tooth. Chewing on a hard object can crack your pearly whites. If you’ve broken a tooth, you need to know your options for fixing it.

Why Fix a Broken Tooth?

Broken teeth can cause many problems. If your tooth is cracked, you might experience pain when you bite down on something. You could have extreme sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures.

A chipped tooth can be sharp and scrape against your tongue or inner cheek. Even if it doesn’t cause discomfort, it can make you less than confident about your smile.

If you have a chipped or cracked tooth, your chances of developing decay are greater. Food and bacteria can make their way into the crack, damaging the tooth. This situation could also lead to infection.

An infection that spreads to the inside of the tooth could affect the bones in your jaw. It could also spread to your gums. You could develop an abscess or end up needing a root canal to

The reason that a broken tooth hurts so much is that it creates movement within the tooth as you chew and bite. That movement irritates the pulp, the soft tissue at the center of the tooth that houses the nerves and blood vessels. If the pulp becomes damaged, it can’t heal itself.

How to Manage a Chipped Tooth at Home

You should see a dentist as soon as possible if you have chipped or cracked a tooth. Leaving it exposed puts you at risk of further damage and infection. If you don’t have the tooth repaired, you could lose it altogether.

You can’t always make it to the dentist right away. Perhaps your tooth has broken over the weekend or your vacation.

You can take some measures to ease the discomfort at home until you can make an appointment with your dentist. If you’re experiencing excruciating pain or have uncontrolled bleeding, you should go to the emergency room. Otherwise, you may just want to call your dentist and describe what happened. They should be able to fit you in if you need urgent care.

Until you make it to the dentist, you might experience some discomfort, though. If the tooth is painful, take an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as acetaminophen, to temporarily soothe the ache. Pain-relieving dental gels can also give you temporary relief.

Applying ice to your face can also help if it’s swollen and painful. If you’ve broken your tooth from an impact, you might experience swelling and bruising for several days. Ice can help improve your symptoms.

If a jagged tooth edge is cutting your tongue or cheek, cover it with soft wax until you can get to the dentist’s office. You can also purchase temporary fillings at the drugstore. Those may help you stay comfortable until you have it professionally repaired at the dentist’s office.

Try limiting your diet to soft foods. Don’t use the broken tooth to bite down on anything.

You should also avoid eating the following foods if you have a broken tooth:
• Acidic drinks, such as soda, alcohol and coffee
• Sticky, chewy foods
• Hard foods, such as nuts, celery and popcorn
• Seeds
• Sugary foods, which increase the risk of decay

After you eat, swish your mouth gently with warm water to remove any food particles from the area. You can also use a saline rinse or a mixture of equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water.

Dental Procedures to Fix a Broken Tooth

If you experience signs of infection, such as a fever, redness, swelling or skin that’s warm to the touch, get to the dentist as soon as you can. However, some types of minor tooth damage aren’t as concerning.

Slight cracks on the surface of the teeth may not need to be repaired. Insignificant chips may just need to be smoothed down.

Damage to your molars can often be remedied with a dental filling. The dentist will need to take a look at the tooth and possibly collect X-rays to determine the extent of the damage.

If a large portion of the tooth must be removed, the dentist can apply a crown. This is a tooth-shaped covering that is designed to safeguard the tooth. You might need a root canal if the entire tooth is broken off but the root remains.

If the crack is on a front tooth, you might need a dental bonding procedure. To do this, the dentist roughens the surface using an etching solution. This helps the bonding material stick to the original tooth. Then, the dentist attaches a tooth-colored resin using an adhesive. After they shape the resin, the dentist uses an ultraviolet light to solidify the material.

Dental veneers also improve the appearance of broken front teeth. Veneers act like shells and cover the entire front portion of the tooth. It takes a few weeks to have veneers placed. The dentist must make an impression of your tooth and send it to a dental laboratory to create the veneer. Then, they cement the veneer to your prepared tooth and use a special light to harden it.

If your tooth has fractured to the root, you might need endodontic surgery to repair it. The best way to determine the type of treatment that you need is to contact us so that we can conduct a comprehensive examination.

How to Prevent a Broken Tooth

You can’t always prevent a broken tooth. However, you can take some measures to do so.
• Avoid opening packages with your teeth.
• Don’t use your teeth as tools.
• Wear mouth protection when you’re participating in impact sports.
• Get regular dental cleanings, and don’t put off having cavities repaired.
• Don’t chew on ice.
• Don’t grind or clench your teeth.

If your tooth breaks, hang onto the chipped portion if you can. Save the fragment in saliva or milk. Bring it to the dental professional. They may not be able to reattach the chipped portion, but they can use other procedures to restore your smile.
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